Pressure accumulative spray device

ABSTRACT

A pressure accumulative spray device for spraying a liquefied substance in which accumulative pressure is applied to a predetermined amount of liquefied substance under spring pressure thereby making it possible to obtain a spray by a downward push of a spray button. The spray device is adapted to accumulate predetermined pressure required for spraying a predetermined amount of liquefied substance by means of reciprocation of a piston and the action of springs within a pressure accumulation chamber thereby making it possible to obtain amplified accumulative pressure even by a comparatively small amount of force, the pressure accumulative liquefied substance being sprayed by a spray button adapted to communicate with the pressure accumulation chamber when pushed downwardly thereby making it possible to obtain a fine and uniform spray pattern under predetermined high pressure.

United States Patent 1 1 Kondo Nov. 25, 1975 l l PRESSURE ACCUMULATIVE SPRAY DEVICE [76] Inventor: Hirosi Kondo, 30-4, Hanazono-cho,

Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan [22] Filed: Aug. 20, I974 [2]] Appl, No: 499,036

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May l7, I974 Japan 49-56035 [52] U5. Cl. H 222/257; 222/340; 239/333; 239/350 [5 1] Int. Cl. B05B 9/04; GOlF 1 1/02 [58] Field of Search 222/257, 321. 340, 385. 222/387, 380; 239/32l. 333, 350

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,399,836 9/l96B Pechstein 1. 239/333 3,47l,065 lO/l969 Malonem. 222/340 X 3,746160 7/l973 Boris r i i r 4 r 239/32! 3,777,942 l2/l973 Fletcher 4, 222/340 X Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Francis J. Bartuska Attorney, Agent. or Firm-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack [57] ABSTRACT A pressure accumulative spray device for spraying a liquefied substance in which accumulative pressure is applied to a predetermined amount of liquefied substance under spring pressure thereby making it possible to obtain a spray by a downward push of a spray button.

The spray device is adapted to accumulate predetermined pressure required for spraying a predetermined amount of liquefied substance by 3 Claims. 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,921,861

FIG.1

FIG.2

PRESSURE ACCUMULATIVE SPRAY DEVICE This invention relates to a pressure accumulative spray device in which accumulative pressure is preliminarily applied to a liquefied substance by the reciprocation of a piston and the action of springs, the liquefied substance under accumulative pressure being sprayed by a push applied to a spray button.

Compressed air or spring members have been used as a source of driving power for the known hand-operated pressure accumulative spray devices intended for spraying a comparatively large amount ofliquefied sub stance for each spray, for example, hair laquers, insecticides, deodorants, etc.

In a known hand-operated pressure accumulative spray device in which compressed air is employed as a driving source, compressed air is preliminarily forced into the container by means of a compressed air generating pump. Since this necessitates a pressure container, the known device involves a substantial increase in the production cost.

Moreover, due to difficulty in maintaining the internal pressure, the container has to be replenished with compressed air when the space within the container is enlarged as a result of a decrease in the volume of the contents particularly in the case of a large-sized container.

Furthermore, in the case where the known pressure accumulative spray device has spring members as a source of driving power in which a liquefied substance is pressurized by the spring members before it is sprayed by pushing a spray button, pressure inegularity arising from the resilience of the spring members is very great particularly when the amount of pressurized spray is large and the cross sectional area of the pressure accumulation chamber is small, with the result that the spray pattern is greatly affected by the pressure variation.

In order to minimize the pressure variation resulting from the extension and contraction of the spring members, it is desirable that the cross sectional area of the pressure accumulation chamber be enlarged and the resilience of the spring members be reduced so as to prevent a decrease in the amount of the pressurized spray. However, since predetermined pressure per unit area is indispensable, spring pressure has to be increased in proportion to the cross sectional area of the pressure accumulation chamber.

Particularly for insecticides, deodorants and the like, a fine mist is required which is capable of floating in the air for a long period of time thereby making it possible to increase the effect of the chemicals. Therefore, spray under high pressure is a prerequisite so as to accelerate the atomization of the spray through the nozzle.

However, the pressure accumulative spray device with reinforced spring resilience demands a greater external operation force on the part of the users for the preliminary compression of the spring members resulting in an increased burden particularly on users of less physical strength including women and children.

Moreover, since the known pressure accumulative spray devices have a complicated construe-non, not only the cost of metal molds for plastic molding of the component parts but also the cost of material and assembly is comparatively high resulting in a substantial rise in the production cost.

As described hereinbefore, this invention relates to a pressure accumulative spray device making it possible to obtain accumulative pressure by a small external operational force even when pressure accumulative spring members of powerful resilience are used, with the result that not only a very fine mist is obtainable by high pressure spray but also the pressure variation resulting from the expansion and contraction of the spring members can be minimized by enlarging the cross sectional area of the pressure accumulation chamber.

A first object ofthis invention is to provide a pressure accumulative spray device making it possible to obtain intensified pressure accumulative spray liquid by a small external operational force for the pressure accumulation.

A second object of this invention is to provide a pressure accumulative spray device making it possible to obtain a uniform spray pattern until the termination of the spray by minimizing pressure variation resulting from the expansion and contraction of the spring members by so arranging the parts of the device that predetermined pressure is obtainable even when the cross sectional area of the pressure accumulative chamber is enlarged.

A third object of this invention is to provide a pressure accumulative spray device which is troublefree. reliable and inexpensive through simplification of the construction.

Further advantages of this invention will become apparent from the description given hereinafter.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, improvements. combinations and arrangements constituting this invention, a preferred embodiment of which is shown by way of examples in the annexed drawings and described in detail hereinunder.

FIG. I is an elevational view showing the external shape of an embodiment of the pressure accumlative spray device according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing. on an enlarged scale, the principal part of the same, said view showing the state prior to the use.

FIG. 3 is also a longitudinal sectional side view showing the state in which pressure is being accumulated.

FIG. 4 is also a longitudinal sectional view showing the state in which spray action is in progress.

In the embodiment shown in foregoing FIGS. 1 to 4, the spray device (A) of this invention is airtightly mounted by any known method on the opening of a container (B) holdable by one hand, a seal or packing being interposed, if so required, so as to obtain further airtightness.

The spray device A generally comprises a cylindrical body 11 fittable within the opening of the container B, a piston 12 within the cylindrical body 11 and reciprocatable so as to suck the liquefied substance contained in the container B into said cylindrical body 11, springs 14 and 15 for accumulatively pressing the liquefied substance within the cylindrical body 11 through a piston 13, an operating tube 16 externally fitted to the upper part of the cylindrical body 11 and mounted on piston rod 23 for reciprocating the piston 12, and a spray button 17 provided on the upper part of the operating tube 16.

The body 11 comprises a larger diameter cylinder 18, a smaller diameter cylinder 19 continuously extending from the lower end of said cylinder 18, and a pipe coupling tube member 20 extending from the lower end of 3 said smaller diameter cylinder, the body 11 being fitted into the opening of the container B in the state in which a flange 21 provided on the exterior periphery of the upper end of the larger diameter cylinder 18 is placed on the open upper end surface of threaded tube-shaped opening C of the container B.

The body 11 is secured to the container B by being held under pressure between cap member 22 externally threaded onto the tubeshaped opening C of the container B and a flange 21 provided on said tube-shaped opening C.

Within the body 11 the piston rod 23 extends axially through the cap member 22, the lower end thereof fitting into said cap member 22.

To the lower end of the piston rod 23 fitting into the smaller diameter cylinder 19 is secured the piston 12 the exterior periphery of which is elastically and slidably brought into contact with the interior peripheral wall of said cylinder 19 so as to be integrally movable with said piston rod 23.

The piston 12 permits free passage of the liquefied substance by separating from the interior periphery of the cylinder 19 at the time ofits descent, said piston 12 acting as a check valve preventing a counter flow of the liquefied substance by being brought into contact with the interior periphery of the cylinder 19 at the time of its ascent. The piston 12 is formed of rubber or a soft synthetic resin.

On the part of the piston rod 23 extending through the larger diameter cylinder 18 is vertically and recip rocatably provided the piston 13 the exterior periphery of which is airtightly slidable on the interior peripheral wall of said cylinder 18 and the interior periphery of which is airtightly slidable on the exterior peripheral surface of the piston rod 23.

An integral or separately secured spring receiving seat 24 is provided within the larger diameter cylinder 18 at a location above the piston 13, the spring being constrictively and externally fitted onto the piston rod 23 between piston 13 and seat 24 for imparting upward force thereto relative to piston 13, the large diameter spring 14 being constrictively provided on the outside of said spring 15 and between the cap member 22 and the piston 13 for constantly imparting downward force to said piston 13.

When no pressure accumulation or spray operation is effected, the piston 13 is moved to the lowest limit by the force of the springs 14 and 15 so as to abut on the shoulder between the larger diameter cylinder 18 and the smaller diameter cylinder 19, the piston rod 23 being brought to its highest limit by the abutment of the spring receiving seat 24 against the cap member 22, the piston 12 at the lower end being located in the upper part within the smaller diameter piston 19.

To the pipe coupling tube member 20 is communicatably connected the upper end of a liquefied substance dip tube 26 the lower end of which is adjacent the bottom ofthe container B, a check valve 27 being built intermediately within the coupling tube member 20 so as to permit free passage of the liquefied substance from the pipe 26 into the smaller diameter cylinder 19 but prevent a counter flow thereof By the action of the check valve 27, when the piston 12 is elevated or lowered within the smaller diameter cylinder 19, suction and compression of the liquefied substance within said cylinder 19 is effected, thus the lower compartment within the smaller diameter cylin der 19 becoming a suction compression chamber 28 under the action of the piston 12, the upper part ofthe smaller diameter cylinder 19 and the lower part of the larger diameter cylinder 18 communicating therewith becoming a pressure accumulation chamber 29 under the action of the piston 13 and by the action of the springs 14 and 15.

When the liquefied substance is fed into the pressure accumulation chamber, the piston 13 is elevated against the springs 14 and 15, said piston 13 traveling upwardly beyond a hole 30 in the wall of cylinder 18, at which point residual liquefied substance within the pressure accumulation chamber 29 is circulated into the container B through the hole 30, whereby the lique' fled substance within the pressure accumulation chamber 29 is constantly maintained at a predetermined amount even when the pressure accumulative action is effected more than necessary. the liquefied substance being kept constantly pressurized under predetermined pressure with the springs 14 and 15 being constantly in the state of predetermined constriction since the piston 13 is not elevated beyond the penetration hole 30.

The operating tube 16 is made of hard material, such as a synthetic resin and the like. said tube 16 being so formed as to have an inner diameter loosely fittable over the cap member 22. a partition 31 being continuously formed intermediately on the inside of the tube 16, the central part of the partition 31 being externally secured to the upper end portion of the piston rod 23 thereby integrating the tube 16 and the piston rod 23 with each other, the pressure accumulative operation being effected by holding and vertically reciprocating the tube 16 by the users fingers.

On the upper end of the piston rod 23 upwardly projecting beyond the partition 31 of the tube 16 is mounted a spray button 17 housed within the upper hollow space of said tube 16.

A passage 32 having its upper and lower ends closed is bored axially through the piston rod 23, and on the lower end through the exterior periphery of the piston rod 23 and below piston 13 there is provided a transverse hole 33 constantly keeping said passage 33 in communication with the pressure accumulation cham ber 29.

On the exterior periphery of the upper end of piston rod 23 on which the spray button 17 is mounted are formed an annular concave groove 34 and a small hole 35 connecting said concave groove 34 with the passage 32. In the concave groove 34 is provided an elastic valve member 36 the interior periphery of which closes the small hole by snugly fitting into the concave groove 34, said interior periphery being detached from the bottom surface of the concave groove 34 when deformed by the downward pressure applied to the exterior periphery thereby opening the small hole 35. (It is clear that the valve member may be replaced with any other known spray valve.)

The exterior periphery of the valve member 36 is secured in a concave recess in the spray button 17 loosely fitting on the piston rod 23, said valve member 36 being deformed by the downward pressure of the spray button 17.

On the spray button 17 is fitted a spray nozzle 37, a hole 39 being provided in the spray button 17 connecting a spray hole 38 of the nozzle 37 with the small hole 35.

The spray button 17 is ordinarily brought to its elevated position by the resilience of the valve member 36, thus the small hole 35 being closed by the valve member 36 thereby preventing the generation of spray of the liquefied substance pressurized in chamber 29.

The liquefied substance is sprayed by the opening of the small hole 35 as a result of deformation of the valve member 36 only when the spray button 17 is pressed downwardly against the resilience of the valve member 36.

The embodiment of this invention has a construction as described hereinbefore, and the liquefied substance within the container B is pressurized by this device as described hereinunder.

Before pressure accumulation and spray are effected, the piston 13 is held at its lowest limit by the springs 14 and 15, the piston rod 23 being located at its highest limit, the valve member 36 closing the small hole 35 as shown in FIG. 2.

In the foregoing state, the operating tube 16 is held by the user's fingers, said operation tube 16 being then vertically reciprocated by the fingers.

When the tube 16 is pressed downwardly, the piston rod 23 integral with said tube 16 descends, the piston 12 at the lower end being lowered within the suction chamber 28, whereby pressure is exerted on the liquefied substance within said suction chamber 28.

The liquefied substance pressurized within the suction chamber 28 flows into the upper pressure accumulation chamber by forcing aside the exterior periphery of the piston 12, said liquefied substance pushing the piston 13 upwardly against the springs 14 and I5 shown in FIG. 3.

Then, if the tube 16 is released, the rod 23 and tube 16 are raised by spring I5, and piston 12 is also ele' vated within the suction chamber 28, the check valve 27 being opened since the pressure becomes negative within the suction chamber 28, and the liquefied substance within the container B is sucked upwardly through the tube 26.

As a result of the elevation of the piston 12, the exterior periphery of said piston 12 is brought into contact with the inner wall of the suction chamber 28 by the resilience thereof and the pressure in the pressure accumulation chamber thereby pushing the liquefied substance upwardly within the pressure accumulation chamber 29, the piston 13 being further elevated against the springs 14 and 15.

When the liquefied substance is fed into the pressure accumulation chamber by the vertical reciprocation of the piston 12, the liquefied substance also flows into the passage 32 of the piston rod 23 through the transverse hole 33, said liquefied substance being pressurized by the action of the springs 14 and through the piston 13. Since the suction chamber 28 is adapted to have a cross sectional area smaller than that of the pressure accumulation chamber 29, the pressure of the liquefied substance on the piston when the piston rod 23 is pushed downwardly is comparatively small thereby making it possible to operate the piston 12 even with a small operational force.

On the other hand, since the cross sectional area of the pressure accumulation chamber 29 is large, the liquefied substance within the suction chamber 28 is transferred directly to the substance beneath the piston 13 of the pressure accumulation chamber 29, the pressure being magnified hydrodynamically thereby making it possible to elevate the piston 13 against the powerful springs 14 and I5. Particularly. the greater the difference between the cross sectional areas of the pistons 12 and 13, the greater the pressure difference on each of said pistons 12 and I3 as is easily seen from Pascal's principle.

Since the piston 23 can be raised or lowered with ease, comparatively small resilience is sufficient for the spring 15, while it is desirable that the spring I4 have a strong resilience as a pressure accumulative spring. In case no great pressure accumulative force is required. the spring 14 can be omitted.

When the piston 13 is raised beyond the hole 30 during the progress of pressure accumulation, the pressure accumulation chamber communicates with the container B through hole 30 thereby permitting the liquefied substance to flow into the container B, with the result that the piston 13 is not raised beyond the hole 30 though the pressure accumulative operation is continued, thereby making it possible to maintain the pressurized liquefied substance in a predetermined amount and under predetermined pressure.

With the completion of pressure accumulation, tube 16 is released, the piston rod 23 being restored to its highest limit as shown in FIG. 4.

In the foregoing state, the spray button I7 is pushed downwardly only sufficient to cause the valve member 36 to be deformed so as to open the small hole 35 as shown in FIG. 4, the small hole 35 communicating with the nozzle 37 through communication hole 39 thereby causing the pressurized liquefied substance to flow through the passage 32.

When the pressure within the pressure accumulation chamber is reduced as a result of the spraying operation, the piston 13 is lowered by the force of the springs I4 and 15 so as to maintain the pressure. spray being continued until the piston 13 abuts the shoulder wall 25, each member being restored to the state as shown in FIG. 2 respectively on removal of the pressure from the spray button I7 so as to be ready for the next pressure accumulation and spray actions.

Needless to mention, the amount of liquefied substance within the container decreases according as the spray is continued resulting in a proportionate pressure reduction within the container. Therefore, it is necessary that air be supplied from outside the device since said pressure reduction makes it difficult to replenish the suction chamber with the liquefied substance. In this invention, aperture in cap member 22 through which the exterior periphery of the piston rod 23 extends is opened when the piston rod 23 is pressed downwardly, as shown in FIG. 3, thereby causing air to flow into the container through the hole 30.

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure accumulative spray device comprising a cylindrical body having an upper cylindrical chamber and a lower cylindrical chamber in communication with said upper cylindrical chamber, said upper cylindrical chamber having a larger diameter than said lower cylindrical chamber, a dip tube opening into the lower cylindrical chamber, a check valve between said dip tube and said lower cylindrical chamber for admitting liquified substance from the dip tube into the lower cylindrical chamber only, a piston rod extending through said two cylindrical chambers and extending outside of said cylindrical body, a first piston secured to the lower end of the piston rod and slidable within the lower cylindrical chamber and having a packing thereon for permitting the liquified substance to flow past said first piston during downward movement of said first piston, a second piston slidable in sealing relationship within said upper cylindrical chamber and 7 around said piston rod. a seat on said piston rod, a first spring around said piston rod between said seat and said second piston. a second spring around said piston rod between the upper end of said upper cylindrical chamber and said second piston, said piston rod having an axial passage therethrough and having an opening in the lower part thereof opening into said upper chamber below said second piston. a spray button on the upper end of said piston rod. valve means between said piston rod and spray button and openable to place the axial passage in communication with said spray button in response to downward axial pressure on said spray butmension of said chamber. 

1. A pressure accumulative spray device comprising a cylindrical body having an upper cylindrical chamber and a lower cylindrical chamber in communication with said upper cylindrical chamber, said upper cylindrical chamber having a larger diameter than said lower cylindrical chamber, a dip tube opening into the lower cylindrical chamber, a check valve between said dip tube and said lower cylindrical chamber for admitting liquified substance from the dip tube into the lower cylindrical chamber only, a piston rod extending through said two cylindrical chambers and extending outside of said cylindrical body, a first piston secured to the lower end of the piston rod and slidable within the lower cylindrical chamber and having a packing thereon for permitting the liquified substance to flow past said first piston during downward movement of said first piston, a second piston slidable in sealing relationship within said upper cylindrical chamber and around said piston rod, a seat on said piston rod, a first spring around said piston rod between said seat and said second piston, a second spring around said piston rod between the upper end of said upper cylindrical chamber and said second piston, said piston rod having an axial passage therethrough and having an opening in the lower part thereof opening into said upper chamber below said second piston, a spray button on the upper end of said piston rod, valve means between said piston rod and spray button and openable to place the axial passage in communication with said spray button in response to downward axial pressure on said spray button, and means on said piston rod for vertical manipulation of said piston rod independently of said spray button.
 2. A pressure accumulative spray device as claimed in claim 1 in which said second spring is stronger than said first spring.
 3. A pressure accumulative spray device as claimed in claim 1 in which said upper cylindrical chamber has an aperture therein a part of the way up the vertical dimension of said chamber. 